Beverage Container

ABSTRACT

A beverage container is disclosed including a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage and a neck having at least one slanted sidewall extending inwardly from and about a circumference of a first end of the cylindrical body. The beverage container also includes a lid sealed with one end of the neck. The lid has a top planar portion with one or more score lines that define a primary opening when ruptured to provide a flow of the liquid beverage to a consumer when the beverage container is tilted from vertical. The beverage container also includes a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area of the neck. The lip relief is aligned with the primary opening and is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage when the beverage container is tilted from vertical.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to beverage containers and, more particularly, to beverage containers having improved venting and consumer consumption structures.

BACKGROUND

Containers and cans are ubiquitous throughout the beverage industry. Beverage cans typically include a cylindrical body having a lid. The lid includes a score line or lines defining a tear panel which is opened when a riveted tab pushes in the tear panel. When the consumer raises the back of the tab, the tab is forced against the tear panel to create a primary opening of the can.

The primary or pour opening in such designs is used to allow the liquid in the can to exit from the volume of the cylindrical body. Additionally, the pour opening allows ambient air to enter the volume and replace the exiting liquid. This dual use of the primary opening may interfere with smooth pouring of the liquid content. For example, the upper lip or tongue of the consumer may overlie the primary opening in a manner that prevents proper venting. There have been attempts, mostly unsuccessful, to facilitate proper venting. To this end, some beverage cans include a second vent opening or tear panel and an apparatus for opening both the pour and vent tear panels.

Current beverage can designs may also create physical interferences when the beverage is directly consumed from the container. Sometimes, the rim of the container and structures used to tear the pour opening May press against the consumer's nose when the beverage can is tilted for consumption. Further, the container must often be tilted to a large angle to consume the remaining beverage in the final stages of consumption. This may be difficult for individuals having neck or back pain.

SUMMARY

An improved beverage container is disclosed. In a first general example, the beverage container includes a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage, where the beverage container also includes a neck having at least one slanted sidewall extending inwardly from and about a circumference of a first end of the cylindrical body. The neck has a first end sealed with the first end of the cylindrical body. The beverage container also includes a lid sealed with a second end of the neck, where the lid has a top planar portion with one or more score lines. The one or more score lines define a primary opening when ruptured that is dimensioned to provide a flow of the liquid beverage to a consumer when the beverage container is tilted from vertical. The beverage container also includes a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area of the neck. The lip relief is aligned with the primary opening and is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage when the beverage container is tilted from vertical.

Implementations of this example may include one or more of the following features. The beverage container where the lip relief is formed as a single recess in the slanted sidewall of the neck. The beverage container where the lip relief has a first thickness and the neck has a second thickness, where the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially the same. The beverage container where the lip relief is formed as a single recess in both the neck and the first end of the cylindrical body. The beverage container where the lip relief is formed as a recess having an upper region defined by a first arcuate portion and a lower region defined by a second arcuate portion, where the first arcuate portion has a radius less than a radius of the second arcuate portion. The beverage container where the lip relief includes an oblong recess having an axis of symmetry that is substantially perpendicular to a radial axis of the primary opening formed when the one or more score lines is ruptured. The beverage container where the one or more score lines defines a generally oval opening when ruptured, where the generally oval opening has a radial axis of symmetry that is generally perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the lip relief. The beverage container where the lid includes one or further score lines defining a venting structure displaced from the one or more score lines defining the primary opening. The beverage container where the one or more further score lines define an irregular-shaped opening having a venting region. The beverage container where the lip relief, neck, and cylindrical body are formed from a metal, such as aluminum. The beverage container where the lip relief, neck, and cylindrical body are formed from a polymer material. The beverage container where the lid further includes one or more score lines defining a venting structure displaced from the one or more score lines defining the primary opening. The beverage container where the one or more score lines define an irregular-shaped opening having a venting region. The beverage container where lip relief has a first thickness and the frustoconical neck has a second thickness, where the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially the same. The method where the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more a die press operations. The method where the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more a roller press operations.

In a second general example set forth in the disclosure, the beverage container has a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage. The beverage container also includes a frustoconical neck extending from and about a circumference of a top of the cylindrical body. A lid is sealed with the frustoconical neck and has a center panel with one or more score lines defining a primary opening when ruptured. The primary opening is provided for flow of the liquid beverage to a consumer when the beverage container is tilted from vertical. The beverage container also includes a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area proximate the frustoconical neck. The lip relief is aligned with the primary opening formed when the one or more score lines are ruptured, and has smooth peripheral edges that are dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage with the beverage container tilted from vertical.

Implementations of this second general aspect may include one or more of the following features. The beverage container where the lid further includes one or more score lines defining a venting structure displaced from the one or more score lines defining the primary opening. The beverage container where the one or more score lines define an irregular-shaped opening having a venting region. The beverage container where the lip relief has a first thickness and the frustoconical neck has a second thickness, where the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially the same.

A third general aspect of the disclosure includes a beverage container base having an open top for attachment to a lid, where the lid includes one or more score lines defining a primary flow opening when the one or more score lines are ruptured. The beverage container base includes a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage. The beverage container base also includes a frustoconical neck extending about a circumference of the cylindrical body, the frustoconical neck defining the open top. A lip relief extends inward and only partially circumvents an area on the frustoconical neck and is aligned with the primary flow opening formed when the one or more score lines are ruptured. The lip relief is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of a consumer while drinking the liquid beverage.

A fourth general aspect of the disclosure includes a method of forming a beverage container base having an open top for attachment to a lid, where the lid includes one or more score lines defining a primary flow opening when the one or more score lines of the lid are ruptured. The method includes drawing a circular blank to form an initial cup. The method also includes forming a neck at an open end of the open top can. The method also includes forming a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing the neck, where the lip relief is positioned on the neck to align with the primary flow opening formed when the one or more score lines of the lid are ruptured.

Implementations of this fourth general aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. The method where the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more a die press operations. The method where the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more a roller press operations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a beverage container having a lip relief.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of a lip relief formed in the beverage container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the beverage container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the beverage container taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of another shape for a lip relief that may be used in the beverage container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a beverage container having a lip recess aligned with the primary pour opening and a secondary vent structure formed in the lid.

FIG. 7 shows a first necking operation that may form a lip relief in a beverage container base.

FIG. 8 shows a second necking operation that may form a lip relief in the beverage container base.

FIG. 9 shows a third necking operation that may form a lip relief in the beverage container base.

FIG. 10 shows a fourth necking operation that may form a lip relief in the beverage container base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a beverage container 10 with FIGS. 2-6 illustrating various examples and/or modifications of the beverage container 10. The beverage container 10 may be formed from a metal (such as aluminum, steel, tin, etc.) a polymer, or any other rigid material suitable to hold a liquid beverage. For this description, the beverage container 10 is assumed to be formed from aluminum.

As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage container 10 includes a cylindrical body 20 defining a volume 25 (see FIG. 4) configured to hold a liquid beverage. A neck 30 having at least one slanted sidewall 40 extends inwardly from and about a circumference of a first end 50 of the cylindrical body 20. In this example, the neck 30 has a frustoconical shape. A first end 60 of the neck 30 is sealed, in a liquid-type manner, with the first end 50 of the cylindrical body 20.

The beverage container 10 also includes a lid 70 that is sealed, in a liquid-type manner, with a second end 80 of the neck 30. The lid 70 may engage the second end 80 at an upstanding rim 90 having sidewalls defining edges of a planar portion 100. The planar portion 100 includes one or more score lines 110. When a consumer raises riveted tab 120, the planar portion 100 is ruptured along the one or more score lines 110 to form a primary opening 130 that is dimensioned to provide a flow of the liquid beverage from the volume 25 of the cylindrical body 20 to the consumer when the beverage container 10 is tilted from vertical.

The beverage container 10 further includes a lip relief 140. The lip relief 140 extends inward of the neck 30 and only partially circumvents an area of the neck 30. As shown, the lip relief 140 is aligned with the primary opening 130 when the score lines 110 are ruptured. The lip relief 140 is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage and may have smoothed edges so as not to cut or otherwise irritate the lower lip. When the lower lip of the consumer engages the lip relief 140, the top lip of the consumer is pulled slightly rearward. The dimensions may be selected to facilitate creating a larger venting area for the primary opening 130 than would otherwise occur without the lip relief 140. Further, the lip relief 140 may be dimensioned so that the consumer need not tilt their head back as far from vertical when drinking the last portions of the liquid beverage from the beverage container 10 than would otherwise be needed without the lip relief 140.

The lip relief 140 may be formed as a single recess that is constrained to the slanted sidewall of the neck 30. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the lip relief 140 may be formed as a recess in both the slanted sidewall of the neck 30 and the first end 50 of the cylindrical body 20.

Various shapes may be used for the lip relief 140. For example, the lip relief 140 may be formed as a recess having an upper region defined by a first arcuate portion 150 and a lower region defined by a second arcuate portion 160. The arcuate portions 150 and 160 may have the same radius. Alternatively, the radius of the first arcuate portion 150 may be less than the radius of the second arcuate portion 160. Optionally, the lip relief 140 may be formed as an oblong recess that includes a flow channel number 170 to direct fluid to the upper portion of the lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage.

As noted, the lip relief 140 may be aligned with the primary opening 130 that is formed when the score lines 110 are ruptured. In one example, the lip relief 140 may be in the form of an oblong indentation having an axis of symmetry 180 that is aligned with a radial axis 190 of the primary opening 130. Further, in another example, the radial axis 190 of the primary opening 130 may be an axis of symmetry of the primary opening 130. Still further, the radial axis 190 may be generally perpendicular (although possibly located on separate planes) with the axis of symmetry 180.

FIG. 4 shows one example of a cross-section of the beverage container 10 through line 4-4 of FIG. 3. In this example, the material forming the lip relief 140 has a first thickness and the material forming the neck 30 has a second thickness. The first thickness and the second thickness may be substantially the same as one another to ensure robustness of the combined neck 30 and lip relief 140 during manufacturing, packaging, transportation, storage, and consumption. Although other beverage container manufacturing processes may be used, one manner in which similar thicknesses for the neck 30 and lip relief 140 may be formed is shown in the necking process discussed below in connection with FIGS. 7-10.

Various venting structures may be combined with the lip relief 140 of the beverage container 10. Several such venting structures are shown in FIG. 6. In accordance with one venting structure, the riveted tab 120 is use to rupture a first set of score lines 195 to provide the primary opening 130. The riveted tab 120 is then restored to its initial position and rotated to the position shown in FIG. 6. In this position, the riveted tab 120 may again be raised to rupture a secondary set of score lines 200 to enhance the size of the primary opening 130. Additionally, or in the alternative, one or more score lines 210, displaced from the primary opening 130, may be punctured to provide a vent opening.

The manufacturing and filling of the beverage container 10 may be executed in several manners. Frequently, however, a beverage container base is formed separately from a lid. As noted, the lid applied to the beverage container base includes one or more score lines defining a primary flow opening when the one or more score lines are ruptured.

FIG. 7 through FIG. 10 show one example of a process that may form a neck and lip relief in a beverage container base, where the container base may be filled and sealed with a lid in later manufacturing operations. Forming a neck is often done in containers made out of steel, aluminum, or tin and is performed in several stages to minimize the appearance of wrinkles, fractures, or both. In the manufacturer of aluminum beverage containers, the necking process may be carried out after the container has been drawn in several operations from a blank.

Each stage of the necking operation may include the operations shown in FIG. 7 through FIG. 10. In FIG. 7, a blank has been drawn to form and initial cylindrical cup 220 that is fed beneath a punch 230 and die 240 that have been retracted to an initial state. As shown, the punch 230 includes a recess 235 that aligns with a corresponding protrusion 245 of the die 240 to form the lip relief 140 in the neck 30 during the necking operations. In FIG. 8, the cylindrical cup 220 is pushed toward the die 230 by a pushing tool 250 to align it with the punch 230. In FIG. 9, the cylindrical cup 220 and punch 230 are pushed together into the die 240 to form a neck 30 having the lip relief 140. In FIG. 10, the pushing tool 250 and the punch 230 are returned to their initial positions. These processes may be repeated, if desired, using progressively smaller diameters of punches and dies to obtain the final desired shape. As such, the neck 30 and the lip relief 140 need not be formed in a single sequence of operations.

Once the final desired shape is reached, the resulting container base may be filled and sealed with the lid, where the lid is sealed with the container base so that the score lines forming the primary opening are aligned with the lip recess in the container base.

In accordance with another processing example, the neck 30 with the lip relief 140 may be formed in a roller press necking operation in which the pressing tools have corresponding protrusions and recesses in the areas in which the lip relief is to be formed.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing disclosure provides examples of at least one beverage container that may implement the present invention. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the beverage container and manufacturing processes may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the invention more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement regarding certain features is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from the scope of the invention entirely unless otherwise indicated. 

1. A beverage container comprising: a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage; a neck including at least one slanted sidewall extending inwardly from and extending about a circumference of a first end of the cylindrical body, the neck having a first end sealed with the first end of the cylindrical body; a lid sealed with a second end of the neck, the lid having a top planar portion with one or more score lines, the one or more score lines defining a primary opening when ruptured, wherein the primary opening is dimensioned to provide a flow of the liquid beverage to a consumer when the beverage container is tilted from vertical; and a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area of the neck, wherein the lip relief is aligned with the primary opening formed when the one or more score lines are ruptured, wherein the lip relief is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage when the beverage container is tilted from vertical.
 2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief is formed as a single recess in the slanted sidewall of the neck.
 3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief is formed as a single recess in both the neck and the first end of the cylindrical body.
 4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief is formed as a recess having an upper region defined by a first arcuate portion and a lower region defined by a second arcuate portion, wherein the first arcuate portion has a radius less than a radius of the second arcuate portion.
 5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief comprises an oblong recess having an axis of symmetry that is substantially perpendicular to a radial axis of the primary opening formed when the one or more score lines is ruptured.
 6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more score lines defines a generally oval opening when ruptured, wherein the generally oval opening has a radial axis of symmetry that is generally perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the lip relief.
 7. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises one or more further score lines defining a venting structure displaced from the one or more score lines defining the primary opening.
 8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more score lines define an irregular-shaped opening having a venting region.
 9. The beverage container of claim 2, wherein the lip relief has a first thickness and the neck has a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially the same.
 10. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief, neck, and cylindrical body are formed from a metal.
 11. The beverage container of claim 10, wherein the metal comprises aluminum.
 12. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lip relief, neck, and cylindrical body are formed from a polymer material.
 13. A beverage container comprising: a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage; a frustoconical neck extending from and about a circumference of a top of the cylindrical body; a lid sealed with the frustoconical neck, the lid having a center panel with one or more score lines defining a primary opening when ruptured for flow of the liquid beverage to a consumer when the beverage container is tilted from vertical; and a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area proximate the frustoconical neck, wherein the lip relief is aligned with the primary opening formed when the one or more score lines are ruptured, wherein the lip relief has smooth peripheral edges and is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of the consumer while drinking the liquid beverage with the beverage container tilted from vertical.
 14. The beverage container of claim 13, wherein the lid further comprises one or more score lines defining a venting structure displaced from the one or more score lines defining the primary opening.
 15. The beverage container of claim 13, wherein the one or more score lines define an irregular-shaped opening having a venting region.
 16. The beverage container of claim 13, wherein lip relief has a first thickness and the frustoconical neck has a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially the same.
 17. A beverage container base having an open top for attachment to a lid, wherein the lid includes one or more score lines defining a primary flow opening when the one or more score lines are ruptured, the beverage container base comprising: a cylindrical body defining a volume configured to hold a liquid beverage; a frustoconical neck extending about a circumference of the cylindrical body, the frustoconical neck defining the open top; and a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing an area on the frustoconical neck, wherein the lip relief is aligned with the primary flow opening formed when the one or more score lines are ruptured, and wherein the lip relief is dimensioned to accept a lower lip of a consumer while drinking the liquid beverage.
 18. A method of forming a beverage container base having an open top for attachment to a lid, wherein the lid includes one or more score lines defining a primary flow opening when the one or more score lines of the lid are ruptured, the method comprising: providing a circular blank to form an initial cup; forming a neck at the open top; and forming a lip relief extending inward and only partially circumventing the neck, wherein the lip relief is positioned on the neck four subsequent alignment with the primary flow opening formed when the one or more score lines of the lid are ruptured.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more die press operations.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the neck and lip relief are formed during one or more a roller press operations. 